Young Justice: New and Old collide
by Harmany
Summary: Nightwing is beginning to get flashbacks from his dark past. The nightmares were triggered by the untimely arrival of a headstrong girl who is shrouded in mystery. Just who is she? And what is her connection to Nightwing? (Coupling Nightwing with my own character)


**6****th**** November – 06:17 a.m. – Gotham City**

Moonlight filtered through the cracks in the ceiling and lay across a set of strong, piercing green eyes. She lurked there, silently, in the shadows, waiting, hoping.

The door to the warehouse burst open and slammed against the wall as a huge, muscular, and drunken, man stumbled through, tripping over his own feet whilst holding a pistol in his large paws.

"I know you're in here girly! Why don't you come out to pay? I won't hurt you, I promise." His words slurred and he attempted to place a hand over his heart as a sign of truth. The girl slithered further back into her hiding place, shrouding herself in darkness.

The man let out a grunt of frustration. He fired his pistol randomly, shooting crates and poles until he heard the sound of whimper. He snapped his head to the left and stumbled forward. He grabbed a crate and threw it away with one hand. His eyes instantly found the girl glaring at him in the corner. He reached out to grab her but she dodged and sunk her pearly white teeth into his hand. He bellowed in pain before he punched her in the head sending her flying across the floor and smashing into the far wall.

The girl lay on her front, blood slowly pooling around her petite frame from the bullet wound in her shoulder. The drunken man stumbled towards her; he snatched her up by her long, blonde hair and brought her bruised face close to his. She scowled at him as she spat blood in his eye. He furiously wiped his face before smashing his fist into her gut. She retched and coughed up blood.

The man chuckled in delight. "Now, now, sweetheart, do what I say and you'll live a little bit longer, alright?" He raised his eyebrow at her waiting for an answer. She nodded weakly. He instantly released her hair and she fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. The girl winced in agony as her torso throbbed sickeningly. _Brocken ribs? Punctured lung?_

The man knelt beside her and lightly touched her thigh. The girl stiffened as his hand snaked its way up her body to her face. The girl took her opportunity and made her knee collide with considerable force into his "manly area" causing him to hunch over in agony. She scrambled out from beneath him before connecting the heel of her foot with the back of his neck causing him to sink into unconscious.

The girl struggled to stand, her vision was darkening around the edges and she felt lightheaded. She collapsed into a pair of warm, solid arms. She tried to see who it was but darkness dragged her under.

**6****th**** November – 06:20 a.m. – Gotham City**

Nightwing crouched beside the roof window, glancing down at Carter, one of the most notorious drug dealers in Gotham. He was leaning over someone on the ground. Nightwing looked closer and realised it was a small girl with long, wavy blonde hair.

_Can't they ever just leave women alone? They are truly disgusting! _He felt nauseous but instantly went on the offence, quickly removing the window he slipped inside. He flipped across the support beams until he was directly above them; he was ready to drop when Carter suddenly cried out in pain and clutched his damaged family jewels. The small girl scrambled from beneath him before knocking him unconscious with a blow to the back of the neck.

She stumbled away from Carter but had difficulty standing. Nightwing dropped down right in front of the girl as she collapsed into his arms. He noticed how badly hurt she was. The corner of her mouth was split and bleeding, her right cheek was blackening with bruises, there was a gash above her eye brow reaching towards her hairline, but the most worrying thing was the blood oozing out of her left shoulder.

_She's been shot._

Nightwing instantly ripped off her thin green jacket and pressed it against her left shoulder, it did little to stop the bleeding but it bided Nightwing enough time to summon the police to take Carter away and lock him up for good. Nightwing cradled the girl in his arms as he raced back to Mount Justice.

**6****th**** November – 06:45 a.m. – Mount Justice**

_Recognized, Nightwing B01_ The team turned their heads to welcome him but were cut short when they saw the bleeding girl cradled in his arms. They ran to him, all asking question about the girl and what happened to her.

"Quickly, someone go and get Aquaman, we need his help desperately. Zatana, come with me." Nightwing carried the girl over to the medical room and gently placed her down on one of the beds. He rolled her onto her side to see the damage the bullet had made.

Zatana's hands hovered over the wound and she whispered "Esaeler!" The bullet was slowly removed from the girls shoulder however to both Zatana's and Nightwing's surprise, an aqua blue liquid was seeping out of the wound with the blood.

The girl's eyes fluttered open. She blinked and looked around herself, utterly confused. She heard hushed voices and felt a cool hand on her shoulder. The throbbing pain was slowly numbing away from her wounds. She forced herself to sit up causing the hand to gently support her; she turned to see who it was. Aquaman smiled down at her in response. She turned her head and noticed the others.

Nightwing was discussing the mornings events with Batman whilst Zatana and M'gann where removing the last of the aqua blue liquid from the bullet. Superboy was leaning against the wall watching M'gann with longing eyes.

Aquaman cleared his throat, subsequently gaining everyone's attention. He nodded to the girl beside him, indicating she has awoken. Nightwing was at her side in a heartbeat; his hand gently touched her forehead. "Good, you don't have a fever. You are one tough kid!" He said smirking down at her.

She glared at him with furious green eyes. "I'm not a kid, I'm seventeen." He merely chuckled whilst the rest of the hero's watched him with fascination.

"What's your name little Miss?" He said sarcastically. She stiffened and looked down at her hands as she twiddled her thumbs. He noticed and motioned everyone to leave, once they were alone he asked her again.

"… My name is Li- Uh, Laurel. Yeah, it's Laurel." She mumbled her shoulders began to quiver and moisture clouded her vision.

Nightwing sat down on the bed beside her and gently patted her head. "It's okay now, Laurel, your safe. No one here is going to hurt you." She sniffed and nodded weakly.

"You don't know who I am, do you?" She looked up at him; her green eyes were piercing and honest. He shook his head gently.

She smiled relieved. "Maybe it is for the best. I should go now." She stood up slowly and began to walk towards the door but Nightwing grabbed her by the wrist instinctively. She glanced at him questioningly.

"Oh- Uh- Well, um, at least get changed before you go…" Laurel glanced down at herself and realised she was covered in blood. She nodded and allowed him to take her hand, lead her outside and pull her towards Zatana. "Hey, Zee, do you have any spare clothes for Laurel?" Zatana forced a smile and shook her head.

"Sorry, no I don't–"

"OH! I do!" M'gann cut in. She raced over and took Laurel's hand and pulled her towards the dorms. Zatana scowled at the floor, Nightwing raised his eyebrow at her. "What's up Zee?"

"Nothing!" she snapped at him.

"Okay, okay, just asking." He walked over to Batman and resumed their earlier conversation. Zatana watched him with sorrowful and longing blue eyes.

Around 20 minutes later the gang heard M'gann call out "We're back!" She flew into the room and gestured behind her, "I proudly present Laurel." She beamed as Laurel stepped out of the shadows.

Her hair was loosely braided to the side and tied with an emerald green ribbon. She wore grey trainers, dark blue, skinny jeans, a white, V-neck t-shirt and a hooded brown jacket.

"Artemis had some old clothes in her room so I used those..." M'gann said her smile falling slightly but she quickly brought it back to its original brilliance. Laurel fidgeted where she stood, looking down at her hands, feeling uncomfortable.

Nightwing walked over to where they stood and gently took her hand in his. "How's your shoulder?" She smiled at him before saying "I've had worse."

She pulled her hand away from his and turned to M'gann "Could you take me back to Gotham city? I need to get back." She smiled but M'ganns feelings of uncertainty and worry played across her features. "But Laurel you don't–" She was abruptly cut off by a sharp look from Laurel.

'_What's seems to be the problem M'gann?' _Nightwing used their telepathic link to question her worries.

'_Dick, she doesn't have a place to stay. She's sleeping rough and she's hiding something from us, I can't tell what but it's big and it's heavily connected to you…' _M'gann replied gazing down at the petite girl.


End file.
